Ramateertham: Renovated Kodandarama swamy temple inaugurated

Ramateertham: The Kodandarama swamy temple, which was renovated with Rs 3 crore in Ramateertham village of Nellimarla Mandal in Vizianagaram district was inaugurated on Monday with all the endowment traditions and customs.

The main idol of Sri Rama was damaged December 28, 2020 by some miscreants and it led to protests by the TDP and BJP across the State. The State government immediately announced that the temple would be renovated at a cost of Rs 3 crore.

The works also were undertaken on a war-footing and main idols of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lakshmana were brought from Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams. Later the entire temple was renovated.

On Monday Minister for endowments Kottu Satyanarayana re-opened the temple and said that this project was an indication of sincerity and commitment of the Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the project was completed in short span of time. "The culprits, who damaged the idol or Srirama would be punished by the God," he said. Earlier, the Endowments Minister reinstalled the idols at the temple on Bodikonda hills in Ramatheertham along with Education minister Botcha Satyanarayana, Khandavalli Sairama charyulu, chief priest of the temple, has supervised the entire programme. Large number of devotees were present on the auspicious occasion.

Meanwhile, MANSAS chairman and hereditary trustee of the Ramateertham temple P Ashok Gajapathi Raju stayed away from the temple opening ceremony on Monday. Actually the temple authorities have invited him. Anyhow he visited the temple on Monday evening and had darshan of Kodanda Rama Swamy.

Later Ashok spoke to reporters and said that the government failed to arrest the accused, who vandalized the idols of Lord Rama at Ramatheertham.

The government has no right to divert the funds from Endowments department to welfare schemes, he said.